Abstract: A gearbox for driving a sprocket includes a gear train and an output shaft assembly positioned between the gear train and a power output end of the gearbox. The output shaft assembly includes, a first shaft segment extending to the power output a second shaft segment coupled to the gear train and a torsion spring interposed between the first shaft segment and the second shaft segment. Upon non-conjugate meshing of the sprocket, the torsion spring expands and contracts so that the angular velocity of the second shaft segment differs from the angular velocity of the first shaft segment.

Abstract: The shiftable bottom bracket gear train according to the invention for a bicycle or the like comprises a bottom bracket tube, a gear train housing having an associated sprocket and a disk arranged parallel thereto, and a drive shaft, which penetrates the bottom bracket tube in the axial direction and is operatively connected to pedal cranks and in which a shifting axle is arranged, which is connected to a coupling piece and can be actuated from the outside by means of a shifting element. In the shiftable bottom bracket gear train, the torque support of the gear train engages on the bottom bracket tube (1) or on an adapter (2) inserted in the bottom bracket tube (1), and is implemented by using screws (8) or screw connections (4,5,12), pins (9, 17), cams (14), or clamps (13).

Abstract: A dump truck has a flange on an inner peripheral wall of a spindle. The flange arranges a support bearing for supporting a shaft. The spindle is formed of a chassis-side member and a reduction gear unit-side member joined together by welding. The chassis-side member is fixed on a chassis of the dump truck, and the reduction gear unit-side member is located closer to a side of the reduction gear unit than the chassis-side member. The reduction gear unit-side member is located on a side of an outer periphery of the shaft portion, where a distance to a coupling between the motor and shaft and a distance to a first sun gear between the reduction gear unit and shaft are equal to each other. On an inner peripheral wall of the reduction gear unit-side member, the flange is cast together with the reduction gear unit-side member.

Abstract: A pinion shaft and bearing assembly is provided having two different surface finish interfaces. A first surface finish functions to locate the bearing to the pinion. A second surface finish functions to improve the cure time of an adhesive used to retain the bearing to the pinion.

Abstract: A planetary transmission for a vehicle, comprising a planet carrier, on which at least one planet wheel is mounted, a hub arranged for a vehicle wheel and connected to the planet carrier, and a static housing which is connected to the vehicle and in which the hub is mounted. A friction brake is arranged at an outer periphery of the planet carrier and is intended to brake the rotation of the planet carrier in relation to the static housing. The hub and the planet carrier are interconnected by a splined connection. According to an embodiment, an outer gear ring is arranged so as to interact with the at least one planet wheel, which outer gear ring is connected to the static housing by a second splined connection.

Abstract: A drive system includes a hollow axle with a jackshaft that extends therethrough and is mounted to extend parallel thereto. Bearings rotatably connect both the hollow axle and the jackshaft to first and second chassis portions. A first end of the jackshaft extends beyond the hollow axle and is connected to a motor by a pair of clutches interconnected by a drive belt. A second end of the jackshaft extends beyond the opposite end of the axle and has a drive sprocket attached thereto that is interconnected to a first idler sprocket on an idler shaft by a first drive chain. A second idler sprocket is connected to a driven sprocket, which is affixed to the axle, by a second inboard drive chain.

Abstract: A drive wheel with a friction brake having a circulating coolant in which feeding and draining take place in a non-rotational axle pipe (1) and the ring-gear carrier (2), attached thereto, without the heated coolant flowing through a planetary transmission (19, 20) supported between a half-shaft (14) and a ring gear (13). The collant enters radially beneath the brake discs (11, 12), retained by a brake-disc carrier (15), into an collecting annular space (27) and is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force between the brake discs (11, 12). It is returned to a cooler, situated outside the area of the transmission, by a coolant drain pipe (24) in the external hub collar (7) of the ring-gear carrier (2). By providing different seals (5.1; 17.1; 17.2; 15.1) at the connecting points of the brake and the transmission, the mixing of the brake coolant with the transmission lubricant is prevented.

Abstract: A balanced free-planet drive mechanism includes a reaction ring gear, an output ring gear, an input sun gear arranged along a central axis, and a plurality of floating planet elements individually having a first planet gear engaged with the sun gear, a second planet gear engaged with the output ring gear, and a third planet gear engaged with the reaction ring gear. A required first rolling ring gear resists radially inward movement of the planet elements adjacent the third planet gear, and an optional second rolling ring gear resists radially inward movement of the planet elements adjacent the first planet gears to maintain the planetary elements essentially parallel to the central axis. A plurality of ring segments are connected to the output ring gear and engage a groove in each of the planet elements to maintain the planet elements in a preselected axial position and to transmit relatively low thrust forces.

Abstract: A steering apparatus for a front wheel drive tractor comprising, at each of opposite lateral sides thereof, a front axle, a front axle case housing the front axle, a kingpin, a transmission case provided in an outer end region of the front axle case to be pivotable about the kingpin, and a front wheel attached to the transmission case and including a hub shaft. The kingpin is operatively connected to the front axle through a bevel gear transmission, and the hub shaft is operatively connected to the kingpin through a bevel gear transmission and a planetary reduction mechanism. The front wheel has a substantially zero camber angle, and the kingpin is inclined such that a lower portion of the transmission case disposed inwardly with respect to a center of the tractor is substantially contained inside a rim of the front wheel.

Abstract: The invention provides an axle reduction apparatus for a tractor having a planetary reduction mechanism mounted between an axle and an axle drive shaft. The axle carries an integrated gear consisting of an input gear to receive drive from the drive shaft and a sun gear of the planetary reduction mechanism.

Abstract: This is concerned with a drive for a movable irrigation system and the like and is more specifically concerned with a gear drive arrangement between an electric drive motor and one or more of the wheels of a tower of a movable irrigation system with two gear assemblies between the electric motor and the ground engaging wheel, one of the gear assemblies being constructed and arranged for maximum speed reduction and minimum torque capacity and the other being driven by the first and constructed and arranged for minimum speed reduction and maximum torque capacity and driving the output shaft to the ground engaging wheel.

Abstract: A planetary wheel drive assembly includes a hollow spindle secured to a frame which provides the support for a wheel structure, an outboard planetary gear set and an inboard disc brake mechanism. The planetary gear set has a ring gear connected to the spindle, an input sun gear shaft, and a planet carrier conjointly driving the wheel structure. An inboard end member is removable to allow independent withdrawal of the disc brake mechanism disposed radially within the spindle when the wheel structure and the spindle are removed from the frame, and an outboard end member is releasable from the wheel structure to allow access to the planetary gear set.

Abstract: An axially segmented brake arrangement in a hub-shaped planetary gear wheel head for a driven axle has a sleeve which couples the two central shaft sections nonrotatably together so that the sun wheel section can be replaced or be interchangeable to enable sun wheels of different diameters to be used even once the brake has been assembled. The sleeve which serves this function is connected by a web to a rim or spur gear located radially outwardly of the sleeve at the level of the planet gear shaft, this spur gear carrying the internally toothed brake disks of a stack of such disks interleaved with externally toothed disks engaging an internally toothed hollow shaft meshing with the planet gears, surrounding the brake disk stack and carried by a hollow shaft carrier which receives the power assist mechanism for the brake and is mounted on a hollow axle extending into the hub forming housing which is connected to the planet carrier.

Abstract: A drive mechanism is disclosed for rotating a pair of tandem wheel assemblies journalled on a centrally pivoted tandem drive housing. A jointless elastomeric belt extends about the wheel assemblies which are driven by two chains entrained over respective sprockets contained within the tandem drive housing. A planetary gear set is effective to powerably drive both chains with a differential action to minimize the influence of the belt loading upon the chains. The planetary gear set and the sprockets are constructed to deliver a greater torque to the rear wheel assembly than the front wheel assembly through the chains.

Abstract: A drive axle assembly including a housing structure having a fixed spindle, a nonrotatable spacer ring disposed about the spindle and a drive hub rotatably mounted on the spindle by bearings, one of which abuts the spacer ring. The spacer ring has a brake apply fluid inlet to an interior passage which opens to a first sealed annular cavity between the spacer ring and the hub. The exterior of the spacer ring defines in conjunction with the drive hub a second low pressure cavity therebetween enclosed by a radial face seal having a rotating portion disposed in the hub and a nonrotating portion disposed in the spacer ring. Lubricating and cooling fluid is pumped through the second cavity to cool the face seal and continues through passages in the drive hub to provide a nearly continuous flow to the drive and brake components in the hub assembly.

Abstract: A wheel hub with an epicyclic reducing gear is disclosed, which essentially comprises a bottom section in the form of a cup which is bolted to an intermediate belt like section having a ring gear formed in its inner periphery, a planetary gear carrier carrying gears which mesh with the ring gear and the pinion.The carrier is divided into two sections assembled by bolts. Running races for bearing balls are complementarily formed on the beltlike section and on the complementary sections of the carrier.

Abstract: A drive axle device having the disk brake and planetary gear reducing unit at the outer end of the drive shaft and a wheel shaft outside said disk brake and gear reducing unit. The axle tube which incorporates the drive shaft terminates in a flanged portion at its outer end and encompasses the disk brake in the flanged portion. The disk is positioned on the drive shaft near the outer end thereof. Further out on the drive shaft is a sun gear which forms a part of the gear reducing unit. Also included in the latter unit are planetary gears which mesh with the sun gear, a planetary carrier for rotatably supporting the planetary gears, and a fixed ring gear which is fixed to a gear housing and meshes with the planetary gears. The gear housing is bolted to the flanged portion of the axle tube and encloses the gear reducing unit. A wheel shaft in line with the drive shaft is fixed on the planetary carrier to rotate therewith.

Abstract: Disc brakes have heretofore not received wide utilization on fork lift trucks because of the problems of space and lubrication. A lift truck has a very small, central hub area which greatly limits the size and type of brake and the ways of lubricating the brake. The disc brake actuator (7) of the present invention meets the problem of incorporating disc brakes (10) into the limited space of the wheel drive assembly (22) of a fork lift truck by mechanically applying the disc brakes (10) through axial rotation of the actuator (37,50) about the jack shafts (18). The difficulty of lubricating the disc brakes (10) is overcome either by utilizing the brake actuator (37) as a conduit for lube oil from the differential (11) or sealing off the lube oil from the differential (11) with a seal (58) in the brake actuator (50) so that the disc brakes (10) can be independently lubricated.

Abstract: In a wheel drive mechanism adapted to produce high torque, low speed power to the wheel through a gearing system that includes a sun gear and a plurality of planetary pinion gears meshed therewith, a mechanism for disengaging the sun gear to ready the vehicle for high speed travel over a highway. The sun gear is supported on a drive shaft that has an elongated splined portion so that the sun gear can be moved axially into a position at which it is disengaged from the planetary pinion gears. A spring biases the sun gear into engagement with the planetary pinion gears and there is mechanism for controllably sliding the sun gear along the splined shaft portion against the spring. The mechanism is accessible from the exterior of the wheel hub, is fast acting and provides for locking the sun gear in either its engaged position or disengaged position.

Abstract: A wheel drive assembly (10) for a vehicle has a spindle (14) with a bore (24). A shaft (30) is positioned within the bore (24) and defines a cavity (44) between the shaft (30) and spindle (14). A brake (46) is positioned within the cavity (34). A planetary gear assembly (74) is positioned about the shaft (30) and contained within the spindle bore (24). With the brake (36) and planetary gear assembly (40) positioned within the spindle (14), the spindle (14) constitutes a reaction ring gear. Bearings (94,96) riding on the spindle (14) can be spaced apart substantially the entire length of the spindle (14) to reduce disproportionate or excessive loading on the bearings (94,96). Serviceability of the drive assembly (10) is simplified owing to the arrangement of its components and the overall width of the vehicle is not increased while accommodating the widely spaced bearings and spindle support for the planetary gear assembly ( 74).

Abstract: A wheel-mounted drive system usable for a sprocket wheel of a chain-drive vehicle has a nonrotatable two-part housing adapted to be mounted directly and substantially immovably on the vehicle frame. A hydraulic motor is mounted in one part of this housing and has a motor output extending through the other part of the housing which contains a transmission whose input is connected to the motor output and whose output is directly connected to the drive wheel and to a brake. A bearing rotatably mounts the transmission output directly on the housing. The brake can be pressurized through axial passages extending through the main shaft of the motor. The transmission includes planetary gearing, and the motor, transmission, and output member are all rotatable about the same central axis.

Abstract: A planet gear type hub gear for transmitting torque between a drive shaft and a vehicle wheel. The end portion of the drive shaft carries a sunwheel which cooperates with a plurality of planet wheels mounted on a planet wheel holder secured to the vehicle wheel. The planet wheels are meshing with a gear ring that is mounted on a fixed gear ring retainer, and that is locked axially on said retainer by means of at least one locking means. Said locking means engages grooves on both the gear ring and the gear ring retainer. In the planet wheel holder there is at least one passage via which the locking means can be operated by means of an elongate tool so as to make the gear ring, together with sunwheel planet wheels and planet wheel holder, axially removable from the gear ring retainer in a single unit enclosed by the hub casing.

Abstract: A wheel final drive assembly for vehicles, wherein the assembly includes a two stage or double reduction planetary gearing mechanism positioned within wheel hubs and connected to the vehicle drive wheels, a drive axle shaft for interconnecting a vehicle power train differential and the gearing mechanism, a separable part hollow hub having positioning faces contacting and axially positioning gears of the mechanism, a hollow spacer plug insertable through the hollow hub and having a face contactable with the outer end of the axle shaft to operatively position the axle shaft, removal of the plug permitting movement of the axle shaft through the hollow hub to an inoperative position in the assembly, and partial stowing therewithin or complete removal therefrom.

Abstract: A drive assembly includes a casing containing a planetary gear assembly. A speed control arrangement is provided in association with the planetary gear assembly to vary the speed of rotation of an output member relative to the speed of rotation of an input member. The speed control arrangement includes a first disc pack which is engaged under the influence of a spring to prevent relative rotation between a ring gear and a planet carrier. A second disc pack is also engageable under the influence of a spring to prevent rotation of the ring gear relative to the casing. Hydraulic motors are selectively operable to release the disc packs against the influence of the associated springs. In the event of a failure in the source of hydraulic fluid, both disc packs are engaged with a resulting braking of rotation of the driven wheel. A secondary or towing clutch is selectively disengageable to release the output member and wheel for rotation, even though both of the disc packs are engaged.

Abstract: A hydraulically operated planetary transmission and motor assembly mounted on the hub of two or more wheels of a four wheeled vehicle for providing wheel driving torque with the transmission set in drive. In an alternate form, the transmission and motor assembly is mounted on the hub of a winch to provide the power drive. The transmission is hydraulically engageable and disengageable and includes a lock whereby the transmission can be locked in either the engaged or disengaged position. The arrangement of components provides easy access for maintenance and for change out of gears to gear sets having different gear ratios all within the same transmission housing.

Abstract: A transmission assembly with braking device, particularly for vehicles, of the type comprising a speed reduction gear system between a driving shaft and a driven shaft. The braking device is constructed so as to be able to brake, on the one hand, the driving shaft and, on the other hand, the driven shaft. In a preferred embodiment, said driving shaft is coupled to the sun gear and said driven shaft to the planet gear carrier, the reaction ring gear for the planet gears being fixed. Said braking device then comprises a set of braking discs non-rotatably mounted but able to slide on a sleeve itself fixed on the driving shaft, and of which a part, through the action of an appropriate control, can come into frictional contact with the fixed discs integral with the casing, whereas the other part, through the action of said control, can come into frictional contact with the discs integral with said planet gear carrier.

Abstract: A planetary outer end of the type commonly utilized on heavy duty drive axles has a plurality of members that include a planet carrier assembly having a planet carrier housing and an abutting carrier plate rigidly attached thereto wherein the improvement takes the form of hardened high strength hollow dowel pins that are press-fitted relative to both the carrier housing and the carrier plate for locating and securing the carrier housing and carrier plate against angular movement relative to one another with a plurality of cap screws extending axially freely through the hollow dowel pins for axially fastening together the carrier housing and carrier plate, whereby the dowel pins are subject only to torsional shear loading while the cap screws are subject only to axial tensile loading thereby producing a structure that approximates the strength of a unitary planet carrier.

Abstract: Two-stage power branching planetary transmission wheel drive having an inner planetary gear set and an outer planetary gear set. The inner planetary gear set has its planetary carrier loosely splined to a fixed support or hollow spindle of the wheel drive while its gear ring is splined to the gear ring of the outer planetary gear set the planetary carrier of which is, in turn, splined to the sun gear of the inner planetary gear set, roller type antifriction wheel bearings which journal the wheel hub of the assembly being both supported by the torque support or reaction element of the drive.

Abstract: A wheel driven by a planetary reduction gear train has a disc brake pack acting between a fixed member and a rotating member for stopping or slowing the rotation of the wheel. The disc brake pack is mounted between the fixed and rotatable members before the planetary reduction gear set is assembled on the shaft making it possible to service the disc brake pack without removing the wheel from the shaft. In one embodiment, the sun and planet gears act as a pump for circulating cooling fluid to the disc brake pack.

Abstract: A vehicle final drive assembly includes a housing structure, a final drive gear having an internal coupling, an axis and a central load bearing plane transverse to the axis, a bearing assembly connected between the housing structure and the final drive gear for supporting the final drive gear for rotation about the axis, the bearing assembly being located substantially on the central plane of the final drive gear, and a shaft having an external coupling connected to and supported by the internal coupling of the final drive gear.

Abstract: A driving mechanism comprises an input sun gear meshing with planet gears; and an output shaft of a motor detachably inserted into said input sun gear to enable said input sun gear to be radially movable to a very small degree, whereby said planet gears are allowed to effect a very small eccentric revolutional motion when the torque of said output shaft is transmitted to said input sun gear.

Abstract: A planetary gear assembly which includes an axle housing for rotatably carrying an axle shaft with a sun gear at its outer end, a spindle gear removably mounted to the axle housing, and a hub rotatably mounted to the spindle gear, the axle housing, spindle gear and hub having axial bores permitting the passage therethrough of an axle shaft. The spindle gear has a recessed interior with an inner surface provided with integrally formed gear teeth, and the hub includes a plurality of planet gears which are disposed between the sun gear of the axle shaft and the ring gear of the spindle gear. The spindle gear and hub are so constructed and arranged as to permit the axle shaft and sun gear to be withdrawn outwardly through the hub, and to permit the hub and spindle gear assembly to be removed from the axle housing as a unit.

Abstract: A planetary gear steering hub assembly which can be easily assembled and disassembled. The assembly includes a stationary axle housing, a universally jointed axle shaft extending through the housing, and a hollow spindle having an inner end with integrally formed knuckles pivotally coupling it to the axle housing and having adjacent its outer end an integrally formed toothed ring surrounding but spaced from the sun gear. A hub is rotatably mounted to and carried coaxially of the spindle, the hub carrying a plurality of rotatable planet gears disposed between the sun gear and the toothed ring and meshing therewith.

Abstract: A multiple power path concentric speed reducer in which a center shaft having a pinion thereon and an axle having an externally toothed gear thereon are disposed coaxially with respect to one another, and a plurality of gear trains operatively connect the pinion with the gear to provide multiple power path between the pinion and gear. The power or load is distributed equally between the several gear trains, and the center shaft may be the power input member, a housing the power output member and the axle the reaction member; or the center shaft may be the power input member, the axle the power output member, and the housing the reaction member. The concentric speed reducer is particularly adapted for use in vehicle wheel drives, especially in off-the-highway heavy duty equipment, wherein the speed reducer for each wheel is driven by a separate motor, such as a DC motor, mounted in or on the axle of the respective wheel.

Abstract: A disengage mechanism for a gear drive including rotatable drive and driven members with one of the members having first splines. A drive actuator having second splines and being connected to rotate with one of the members and axially movable with respect thereto between first and second positions. In the first position the first and second splines are engaged and the drive and driven members are connected to rotate together and in the second position the splines are disengaged and the drive and driven members are disconnected. First means are provided for moving the drive actuator to the first position and second means move the actuator to the second position. The first means include a spring which constantly urges the drive actuator to the first position and the second means comprises a rotatable cam member which positively engages the drive actuator to move it to the second position.

Abstract: A multiple disc friction brake assembly for a drive axle outer end of the planetary reduction type. A plurality of axially movable brake discs are provided internally of a wheel hub with alternate discs being fixed against rotation relative to the axle housing and intermediate discs being non-rotatably secured to one of the rotary elements in the final drive downstream of the axle shaft input.

Abstract: In a planetary transmission wheel drive mechanism, particularly for applying driving torque to the driving wheels of heavy duty ground engaging vehicles such as trucks, tractors and the like a pair of planetary gear sets are employed in series connection in such a manner that one of the planetary gear sets has its sun gear on a drive shaft and its planetary carrier rotatably mounted in a stationary hub. Planetary pinion gears supported by the planetary carrier mesh with a gear ring which is fixed to the aforesaid hub. The other planetary gear set consists of a sun gear which is supported by an extension of the planetary carrier of the first mentioned planetary gear set. The sun gear of the second planetary gear set meshes with planetary pinion gears which, in turn, engage with a gear ring.

Abstract: An improved drive assembly includes a gerotor-type hydraulic motor having a housing connected to a frame. An output member is rotatably mounted on a hollow spindle which is integrally formed with the motor housing. Operation of the motor rotates an input shaft which is disposed within the spindle and is connected with the output member through a gear arrangement. In order to tend to minimize the axial extent of the drive assembly, the gear arrangement is located inwardly of an outer end of the spindle. The gear arrangement includes a central or sun gear which is disposed within the spindle. A plurality of idler gears extend through openings formed in the spindle into engagement with the central gear. These idler gears meshingly engage a ring gear which is fixedly connected with the output member. The gerotor-type hydraulic motor includes a wobble shaft which is connected with the input shaft to the central gear by a coupling member.

Abstract: A planetary transmission for a vehicle, comprising a planet carrier, on which at least one planet wheel is mounted, a hub arranged for a vehicle wheel and connected to the planet carrier, and a static housing which is connected to the vehicle and in which the hub is mounted. A friction brake is arranged at an outer periphery of the planet carrier and is intended to brake the rotation of the planet carrier in relation to the static housing. The hub and the planet carrier are interconnected by a splined connection. According to an embodiment, an outer gear ring is arranged so as to interact with the at least one planet wheel, which outer gear ring is connected to the static housing by a second splined connection.